Reading Life Through The Principle - Day 12

Good evening everyone. It's lovely to see you all again this evening. Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me. For me, it's been a real learning experience. Every time I teach, I always learn, and whenever I go and teach a workshop, I tell the participants that I'm a part of it just as much as they are because I always learn a huge amount. I'm really grateful for this chance to share and teach. As I mentioned yesterday, I went over time because I was watching the second hand, not the minute hand on the clock. When I talked about Tamar, I should have just stopped at the end of Judah, and I would have talked about Tamar this evening. I don't have a lot more to say on this particular workshop series, and I wasn't quite sure if I would get to the end of the third week. So, I'll just start where I left off. The general theme of what we're doing here is looking at restoration and what went on in the Garden of Eden, focusing on the restoration of these different relationships.

As you know, in the Garden of Eden, Lucifer came and seduced Eve, taking her away from Adam. This whole process of changing lineage is about people finding themselves in a similar situation to Adam and Eve, facing a temptation to do the same sort of thing but doing it differently. The best example of this is Sarah, who was tempted to become the wife of Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the world. Instead, she overcame that temptation and remained faithful to Abraham. There are a few other stories in Jesus' lineage that are also ethically and morally problematic. I wrestle with these things just as much as you do. I struggle with the whole situation regarding Tamar, just as I'm sure you all have. I'm trying to work these things out, and what I shared last night was my best attempt so far to make some kind of moral, ethical, and spiritual sense of what was going on there, explaining its significance and meaning in the life of Judah.

Judah's experience was significant because he changed, which meant he became qualified to overcome fallen nature as both an older brother and a younger brother. By overcoming his fallen nature, he laid the foundation to become the lineage for the Messiah. This purification of lineage and attitudes is evident as we see how Jesus acted after his ancestor Judah, who acted after his ancestor Jacob, and so on. You can see how the lineage is gradually purified. The relationship that appeared problematic with Tamar was actually a turning point in Judah's own personal spiritual life. This was part of its significance, as well as the way Tamar behaved, which was also really important. Through her overcoming the temptation to preserve her life instead of the dignity of her father-in-law, she went through a huge life-and-death situation.

I brought up a quote a few times regarding Abraham, where he asked, 'Where is the change of blood lineage done?' It's when people go through a life-and-death situation for the sake of God and the future dignity of man. You can see these individuals facing a challenge, either to follow their original mind and conscience or to give in to their fallen nature and repeat the pattern of fall in history. Each time they go through this, they eliminate various evil elements from their character and personality, which means their descendants are born with less fallen nature than they were. This gradual, incremental purification of lineage starts within the individual and then spreads to a family, from a family to a tribe, from a tribe to a nation, and from a nation to a worldwide level. It's taken a long time for this to take place.

Now, we need to consider some of the other problematic relationships in Jesus' lineage. Eve had to separate from Lucifer and align herself with Adam. As I mentioned, not next Monday because I need a week to prepare for my next workshop, but the Monday after, I'll start teaching a workshop on Moses and the Israelites. The main theme will be leadership and community building. Part of that story is when the Israelites cross over the River Jordan, led by Joshua, and lay siege to Jericho. They march around Jericho six times, and during that time, Joshua sends two spies into Jericho to gather information. The spies find that the people are terrified of them, but the secret police discover the spies' presence and they try to find somewhere to hide.

Not far away, there is a door to a brothel, and when they knock, Rahab, who runs the brothel, answers. The spies ask her to hide them, explaining they are running away from the secret police. Rahab recognizes them and takes them in, saying they are terrified of the God of Israel because of all the things He did to the Egyptians and how He led them through the desert. She knows the Israelites are going to conquer Jericho, but she asks them to guarantee her family's safety when they do. The spies agree, and Rahab hides them in her house. When the police come looking for the spies, she has to make a choice: to save her own life or protect the spies. Instead of revealing their presence, she risks her life and tells the police that the spies have left.

Rahab's loyalty shifts from the king of Jericho to the Israelites, declaring that the Lord their God is the God of heaven and earth. By doing this, she changes her lineage and source of identity at great personal risk. When Jericho is destroyed, she puts out a red cord, and the Israelites spare her and her family. According to tradition, Rahab is mentioned in Jesus' lineage in Matthew, where she is said to have married Salmon, a descendant of Perez, who was the youngest son of Judah and Tamar. This indicates that she married into Jesus' lineage, having undergone her own personal change of lineage and loyalty to the God of Israel. Another example is Naomi, who was married and had three sons. When there was a famine, they went to the land of the Moabites, where her sons married Moabite women.

The Moabites are traditionally considered descendants of Lot and his daughters. After some time, Naomi's husband and sons died, leaving her with no support. She urged her daughters-in-law to return to their families to find new husbands. However, Ruth chose to stay with Naomi, declaring her loyalty to her and to the God of Israel. Ruth's decision to change her identity and lineage mirrors Abraham's journey. When they returned to Naomi's hometown, Naomi encouraged Ruth to glean in the fields during harvest. Ruth collected leftover grain, which was a tradition in Israel. The field belonged to Boaz, and Naomi advised Ruth to approach him. Boaz, however, was not the closest kinsman, so he sought out the nearest relative to offer him the opportunity to marry Ruth and preserve Naomi's lineage.

The closest kinsman declined, allowing Boaz to marry Ruth. Their union was blessed with a prayer that their house would be like the house of Perez, son of Judah. This connection to Tamar highlights her significance as a noble woman in the lineage of Jesus. The blessings upon Ruth and Boaz reflect the importance of their choices and the legacy they would pass on.

The grandfather, or perhaps the great-grandfather, of David, who became the King of Israel, is a significant figure in biblical history. David's first wife was called Michal, the daughter of Saul, and she loved David very much. When David fell out with Saul, Saul attempted to kill him, forcing David to hide in his home. Michal faced a difficult choice: should she protect David or follow her father's orders? Saul sent soldiers to arrest David, but Michal pretended that David was not there, allowing him to escape. This act of defiance led to severe consequences for her, as her father gave her away to another man to be his wife.

After David's escape, he began leading a band of men, essentially running a protection network for landlords against various outlaws. One day, David and his men sought food from a man named Nabal, explaining that they had protected his flocks for months. In return for their protection, David requested provisions for a feast. However, Nabal, a selfish man, refused to acknowledge David's help and became angry, saying he would not give anything to David. When David learned of Nabal's refusal, he was furious and determined to punish him. Nabal's wife, Abigail, who was known for her beauty and wisdom, realised the danger her husband had put them in and took action to save him.

Abigail loaded a donkey with provisions and went to meet David, bringing food for him and his men. David was captivated by her beauty and invited her to stay, but Abigail declined, stating it was not proper for her as a married woman. Instead, she pleaded for the lives of her husband and family, and David agreed to spare them. The next morning, Abigail informed Nabal of her actions, but he was furious and suffered a heart attack, dying ten days later. After Nabal's death, Abigail married David, and they had a son named Daniel. David's first son was with Michal, but little is known about Daniel's fate. Among David's wives, Abigail is often regarded as the finest, though her story fades from the narrative after her marriage to David.

As David became king, he had several wives. One day, while standing on the balcony of his palace, he saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba sunbathing on her roof. Intrigued, he invited her to the palace for tea, and their meeting quickly escalated to intimacy. Bathsheba later returned to inform David that she was pregnant, revealing that he was the father. David, embarrassed and unsure of how to handle the situation, devised a plan to cover up his actions. He summoned Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, who was fighting in David's army, back to the palace to report on the battle.

David attempted to persuade Uriah to go home and spend the night with his wife, hoping to disguise the pregnancy. However, Uriah refused to go home while his fellow soldiers were in the field. Frustrated, David invited Uriah to stay for several days, but Uriah remained loyal to his comrades. Realising his plan was failing, David sent a message to Joab, the general, instructing him to place Uriah in the front lines of battle and then withdraw support, ensuring Uriah's death. Joab followed the orders, and Uriah was killed in battle. This act of manipulation and betrayal was not befitting of a king.

Later, Bathsheba gave birth to a son, but the child died shortly after birth. David was deeply remorseful for his actions, and the prophet Nathan was sent by God to confront him. Nathan used a parable to reveal David's wrongdoing, leading David to recognise his sin. He repented, expressing his sorrow through a psalm, which documented his feelings of guilt and shame. This narrative illustrates the biblical theme that even great leaders are flawed and that their mistakes are recorded for posterity. David's story serves as a reminder of the complexities of human nature and the importance of accountability.

The relationship between David and Bathsheba raises questions about morality and divine providence. Despite the circumstances of their union, Bathsheba bore Solomon, who would become the next king of Israel. The Talmudic commentary suggests that David had a spiritual insight when he saw Bathsheba, perceiving her as his destined mate. However, his haste in pursuing her without proper restoration of relationships led to significant consequences. The rabbis argue that David should have approached the situation with more caution and respect, ensuring that he did not act impulsively. This interpretation highlights the importance of moral integrity and the need for thoughtful decision-making in leadership.

Your wife and I had this vision, and I got this kind of vision from God telling me that I, with Adam, that your wife is Eve. I am supposed to be a bit more polite than saying you're the serpent, but anyway, that I should marry Bathsheba. So that's what I would like to do. In exchange, if you let me marry Bathsheba, this is what I propose: I will find you an equally beautiful and high-status woman to marry. I'll also promote you within the army, and I'll give you a nice house to live in, a lot of money. You can imagine this sort of thing is not unusual in the ancient world. There are even films about it today, like 'Pretty Woman' or something. I can imagine then that Uriah is thinking, 'Oh, this is my king; he is a very profound, very spiritual king, and maybe this is God's will.' So yes, because the king has asked me to do this, then I will do it. Even though I was married to Bathsheba, we haven't actually consummated our marriage yet, and in exchange, he's offering to arrange for me to marry a woman of equal beauty and social status and intelligence, and also to promote me and to give me some money and a nice house, etc. I can imagine Uriah would be happy to release Bathsheba and allow David to marry her. I think that's what Nathan the prophet is talking about here, going through that process of restoration, not killing the archangel but winning the archangel's love and respect such that the archangel would release Eve back to Adam. I hope that makes sense.

Unfortunately, David didn't do it like that, and it was a serious mistake. As a result of that, his family disintegrated. He had one disaster, one calamity after another. I'm not going to talk about it here because I'll discuss it in my lectures on Old Testament history. There were consequences from what he did. When you actually look at his other sons, which I will examine in another workshop, you'll see that his other sons were not good sons. One committed murder, one raped his half-sister, and another son, the brother of the half-sister, murdered his half-brother who killed his sister. Another son tried to lead an uprising and rebellion, and yet another tried to make himself king before David had died. You can see that it makes a difference who you marry. The wives that David had married up until now didn't have children who were really qualified to be the next kings of Israel. If you look at Solomon, he became the next king of Israel and a very wise king. He is the author of the Song of Songs in the Bible and collected and wrote many of those proverbs. He was, of course, a flawed character and made some serious mistakes, but you can see maybe that's the quality of his mother that made that kind of difference. That's why God wanted David to marry Bathsheba; she was the kind of person who could be the mother of the future king of Israel.

As I said, there are always plans A, B, and C, and that's the way it works. I wanted to show you a book I mentioned before. This is a little project I've been doing, translating 'My World and I' into Arabic. It was a book I helped to write in Russia about 25 years ago, a spiritual moral education book. They were called 'Muay Mirya' and were distributed through schools throughout Russia, translated into Azeri, and published in Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan. I can't even remember all the places they were published and translated into. This is it here for spiritual moral education for young people in Russia, the former Soviet Union, based on a multi-faith approach to spiritual moral education. It emphasises the universal values and virtues which are more important in many ways, focusing on self-development, raising lots of questions, and trying to get people to take responsibility for their own spiritual moral development and for their own lives, to be involved in making the society they live in a better place.

The second volume is very much in support of marriage and family, looking at marriage and family from different religious traditions. The whole point of this was the pedagogical idea of how to speak to young people in a post-communist society which is profoundly secular. You couldn't assume anything really about God, and the teacher certainly couldn't assume they knew anything about God. They came with the idea of introducing the life and teachings of the founders of traditional religions of Russia, which included Confucianism, Buddhism, Moses and the teachings of Judaism, Jesus, and Muhammad. Through that, young people were able to engage with and learn about some of the wisest people in human history and to learn from them. From that, it was a way of introducing moral values such that young people could say, 'Well, okay, this is my opinion,' but then they had to look at the opinions of some of the wisest people in history and not think that their opinion is of equal value or validity to theirs. They could see that on many areas, these wise people, the founders of these great religions, agreed about many things. If they wanted to disagree, then they could just disagree with the wisdom of humanity; that was their choice.

I told you the story yesterday about how this got moved over to be published. That's the English version that has been published in Arabic for Palestine by Abdullah, the person I met and talked about yesterday. We published two books; this was the money raised for the first book, published about five years ago. The second book was published at the end of 2018. Just last week, the teachers' training manual was published and is being distributed digitally. I didn't want to print it because it cost too much; it's easier to give them a little USB stick. I want to raise £3,000 more to start having teacher training workshops all over the West Bank. Abdullah, who is a very eminent person in education in Palestine and the Arab world, wants to organise these workshops in all the school districts in the West Bank and hopefully in Gaza at some point. I just need some money to fund and support these teacher training workshops. If you enjoyed this workshop, don't give me money, but if you'd like to support this project, I would be incredibly grateful. Mike Balcom offered to fund one-third of the teacher training workshop; he offered to match funds if I could find £2,000. Then he would support with £1,000 from the European office. I don't have anywhere you can send the money to at the moment because the normal link doesn't seem to be working to put it into IRFF, who have been organising the finances through their charity. When I get it sorted out, I'll post the details on the Reading Live through the Principal Facebook page or maybe send out something through Breeze, which is how you registered.

I hope you enjoyed this workshop as much as I did. I indicated I'll be teaching another one, so I need a week to spend some time preparing. From Monday week, the 19th of October, I'll teach a workshop at the same time and format about Moses and the people of Israel. The main theme will be leadership and community building. I think it's really important because it's painful to listen to the way people often teach about Moses and the Israelites. They complain they failed, but the reality is they didn't. In those 40 years of wandering around in the wilderness, Moses led them such that they built a community which has survived and prospered for three and a half thousand years. During those forty years in the wilderness, they created a sustainable community which is still going strong three and a half thousand years later, despite all the terrible things they went through. At the end of the day, you have to say that is incredibly successful. No other person in human history has ever done what Moses did in terms of leadership. Hopefully, true parents will be able to surpass that. In that period of time, there's a huge amount to learn from Moses, all the ups and downs and the traumatic experiences he went through and how he managed to deal with them. It's an unvarnished account; all the mistakes he made are very clear. You wonder how we know he struck the rock twice; he wrote the book. Everything he did wrong, he wrote about it so we can learn. It's all about education; it's all about learning from the lives of these extraordinary people and the challenges they faced in order to build a sustainable spiritual community. That's it: how to build a sustainable spiritual community which can be a model for an ideal world. That's what they were trying to do, and that's what Jesus took up. Unfortunately, he was killed, but had he not been killed, that would have been universalised to some extent. It was through Christianity that it became distorted in some ways.